Loom-harness mechanism.



PATENTED JULY 7, 1903.

E; s. STIMPSON. LOOM HARNESS MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 0UT.18, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL Ty: NORRIS mins :0 momumuu wAsmnuTON, 0.1;,

PATENTED JULY '7, 1903.

' 'E. S. STIM'PSON.

LOOM HARNESS MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 18, 1902- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

" UNITED STATES" Patented July 7, 190a; PATENT OFFICE.

EDWAR s. srinrsoiv, on HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, AssicNoR To DRAPER COMPANY, on HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A oonroaa TI ON OF MAINE.

Loom-HARNESS MECHANISM;

srncrrroarroiv forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,089, dated July 7; 190a: Application filed October 18, 1902. Serial No. l7i795. (No model.)

To all whom, 712% may concern-.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. STIMPSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Loom-Harness Mechanism, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object ,the production of a novel, simple, and very directacting mechanism for controlling the movement of loom-harness frames, and while my invention is applicable to two-harness looms it is more particularly adapted for multipleharness mechanism-i. e.,'wl1erein three or more harness frames are employed.

In'accordance with my invention the movement of each of the several frames is individualized and effected independentlyof the other frames of the set with as much diversity of combination as can be attained by the use of a (lobby-head.

The present so-called top motions for multiple-harness looms operate in such man-. ner that While one harness-frame is moving in one direction another is always moving in the opposite direction, the other frames of the set remaining stationary and being operated in turn by the order and arrangement of the controlling-cams. The interconnections between the several frames are usually complicated, and they are so" arranged that the relative movements of the frames must be confined: toa comparatively narrowrange, it being impossible to attain any material individualization of the frames. Furthermore, such top motions involve a multiplicity of sheaves or cylinders and flexible connecting and transmitting draft members, usually straps or bands, .which by their constant movement wear rapidly and have to be re placed frequently, and they also stretch, so that the harnesses are not quickly and accurately responsive in their movements to their controlling-cams, the shed formation being irregular as a consequence. So, too, the stretching of the draft members will often result in an irregular movement of a frame,

one side being higher or lower than the other side, and this will result in lack of uniformity in the cloth being woven. It is also well known that a top motion is impractical with a large number of harness-frames, and dobbyheads are commonly used in such instances.

tating the use of such form of apparatus. I

have, furthermore, entirely eliminated the multiplicity of sheaves, cylinders, and flexible bands, straps, or cords of the usual top motion for multiple-harness mechanism.

The mechanism embodying my invention is simple, strong, and durable. The frames have all desirable freedom of movement in their proper paths, thereby obviating friction. Practically any combination of movements and number of harness-frames can be employed, and at all times the frames are instantly and accurately responsive to their respective controlling-cams or equivalent mechanism.

The Various novel features of my invention will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the following claims. Figure 1 is a transverse section on the line as m, Fig. 2, of a portion of a loom, only the shedding mechanism which embodies one form of my present invention being illustrated. Fig. 2 isa front elevation of a portion of the shedding mechanism shown in Fig. 1, the harness-controlling treadles and cams being omitted; and Fig. 3 is a .separate view in front elevation of one of the individual devices for movinga harness-frame in one direction, to be hereinafter described.

I have for convenience shownherein my invention embodied in a four-harness mechanism but two or more harnesses may be used with equal facility.

9 The loom-frame A, the cam-shaft O har- .ness-controlling cams O O, &c., and the treadles T T, &c., respectively cooperating therewith and connected by suitable straps or links t t, &c., with the bottom bars of the too several harness-frames, may be and are substantially of usual or well-known construction, the harness-frames being movable in parallel vertical paths and positively depressed by or through the depressing action of the cams upon the treadles.

The several harness-frames H, 11, H and H are alike, each comprising a bottom crossbar 71, rigidlyattached upright side bars h, and a top cross-bar 71 connected therewith, and in the present instance this bar serves as the support for detectors suspend-ed there from and also serving as warp stop-motion controlling detectors, as in United States Patent No. 536,969, dated April 2, 1895, some %f the detector-heddles being shown at h An overhead arch A erected upon the loom-frame, has a substantially horizontal head A upon which are mounted the lifting devices for the several frames.

For convenience and clearness of illustration I have shown the front harness-frame H depressed and the other three frames lifted.

Two like brackets A are secured to the head A equidistant from its center and each having a transverse hub-like top a, in which is secured a horizontal fulcrum-stud, which eX- tends over the tops of the frames and at right angles to their paths of movement, the two studs being in parallelism, the stud at the left,

'Fig. 1, being indicated at a and the other one at a In the present embodiment of my invention the lifting movement of the harness-frames is effected by spring-actuated means and individualized, the lifting means for each of said harness-frames being mounted on the two studs a a", which serve as fulcra therefor. Inasmuch as the lifting devices are alike and all operate in the same manner one only will be described in detail, such device comprising two rocking members, mounted, respectively, on the two fulcrum-studs referred to and oppositely rocked by a spring, means being provided to cause said members to rock in unison through equal angles, to thereby impart an even and uniform movement to the sides of the harness-frame, which latter is connected by suitable draft members with the two rocking members. The latter are shown herein. as bell-cranks M and N, the hubs m W of which are mounted on the studs a a respectively, said hubs having outwardlyturned arms m n and upturned arms m 91*, respectively, the outwardly-extended and upturned arms of each member being shown as substantially at right angles to each other.

Draft or transmitting members 10 connect the side bars of the frame with the arms 'm n, which are of equal length, stirrups 12 on the upper ends of the members 10 engaging notches 2 in said arms. The upturned arms m n are notched at 3 to receive loops 8, secured to or forming the ends of aspiral spring S of suitable strength, the contraction of which acts to swing or rock oppositely the members M and N on-their respective fulcra and toward each other. The rocking members or bell-cranks thus operate as directionchanging devices to change the lateral pull of the spring to a vertical lifting movement, this latter being transmitted to the harness-frame through the links 10. Manifestly the stress of the spring is equally exerted upon the two rocking members, and it is always acting through the connected harness-frame to main tain the treadle thereof in constant cooperative relation with its actuating-cam, so that the frame is quickly and accurately responsive to the latter.

It is requisite for the production of perfect and uniform cloth that the harness-frame shall rise and fall with its top member 7L2 substantially horizontal, and obviously this will be effected if the rocking members are caused to rock in unison through equal angles. To this end I employ equalizing means for each pair of rocking members, constructed and arranged that whatever angular movement of one of said members is effected it is accom-' panied by simultaneous equal angular movement of its fellow, but in the oppositedirection. Herein the equalizing means consists of a longitudinally-rigid link or bar 6, pivotally connected at e to an car on 011 the upturned arm m of the rocking member M above its fulcrum, the other end of the link being pivotally connected at e to a short arm n of the member N, but below its fulcrum, the link intersecting a plane passing through the centers of the two fulcrum-studs a and a Referring now to the front harness-frame H, which is down, as its controlling-cam 0 moves by rotation of the cam-shaft, the pull of the spring S will act to gradually swing the arms m n inward or toward each other, elevating the outwardly-turned arms m n and the draft-links 10, the spring thus lifting the harness-framewhile the equ alizin g means compels the two sides of the frame to rise uniformly. During the rise the spring keeps the frame continuously under the control of its cam, so that there can be no irregular, retarded, or lost motion. If the harness be raised, its descent is positively effected by its cam, and at such time the draft-links 10 pull down the arms 77?. n and swing outward the arms m 11, against the stress of the spring S, the latter preventing irregular or lost motion, as before, and the equalizing-link causes the members M and N to rock in unison through equal angles.

Each harness-frame is equipped with one of the spring-actuated devices described, and it will be manifest that the movement of every frame is individualized and independent of all of the other frames of the set, so that any desired combination of movements may be employed.

By increasing the length of the fulcrumstuds the number of'harness-fram'es can be increased, and as many in ay be employed and operated as can be controlled by a dobbyhead. I

Ihave eliminated all straps, bands, or other similar flexible members, as well as sheaves, pulleys, and the like, and provide instead simple, direct-acting, and durable means for moving the harness-frames in opposition to scribed, for I have shown only one practical form thereof without attempting to show or describe the various changes or modifications therein, which may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In loom-harness mechanism, a harness frame, means to move it in one direction, and

a device to move it in the opposite direction,

said device comprising two rocking bellcranksmounted on fixed fulcra located in the same horizontal plane, each bell-crank hav- 111g an outwardly-extended arm connected with the harness-frame at or near its sides,

an actuating-spring connecting said bellcranks above their fulcra, and an equalizinglink connected with one bell-crank above, and

, with the other bell-crank below, its fulcrum, to cause the said bell-cranks to rock oppositely in unison, spring-induced movement of the bell-cranks acting through the connections between them and the harness-frame to move the latter toward them.

p 2. In loom-harness mechanism, a harnessframe, means to move it in one direction, and a device tomove it in the opposite direction,

said device comprising two rocking members mounted on fixed fulcra located in the same horizontal plane and respectively connected with the harness-frame at its sides, a longitudinally-rigid, equalizing-link intersecting the horizontal plane passing through the axes ,of the rocking members and pivotally connected with the latter at equal distances from their axes, to cause the said members to rock oppositely in unison, and a spring directly connecting and to swing the rocking members toward each other.

8. In loom-harness mechanism,a harnessframe, means to positively move it in one direction, a spring-actuated device to move it in the opposite direction, said device comprising two rocking members, having their fulcra located in the same horizontal plane, a connectingspring, an equalizing-link eccentrically connected at its ends with said rocking members above the fulcrum of one and below the fulcrum of the other member, and longitudinally-rigid transmitting-links pivotally connecting the said members with the sides of the harnessframe, the equalizinglink causing the rocking members to rock oppositely in unison and uniformly move the sides of the harnessframe.

4. In loom-harness mechanism, a harnessframe, means to positively move it in one direction, a spring-actuated device to move it in the opposite direction, said device comprising two bell-cranks mounted on fixed fulcra and each having an upturned, and an outwardly-extended, arm, direct and nonflexible, pivotally-attached connections between the latter arms and the harness-frame, aspring connecting the upturned arms, and a longitudinallyrigid link pivotally connected to one of the bell-cranks above, and to the other bell-crank below, its fulcrum.

5. In loom harness mechanism, a vertically-movable harnessframe, cam-actuated means to depress it, and an overhead device to lift it comprising two rocking members, a lifting-spring connecting them, and equalizing means positively and directly connected with and to cause said members to rock oppositely in unison, and non-flexible draft connections between the sides of the harness ally attached to each.

0. In loom harness mechanism, a verti cally-movable harness-frame, cam-actuated means to depress it, and an overhead device to lift it, comprising two rocking members mounted on fixed fulcra, located in the same horizontal plane, a lifting-spring directly connecting them, and an equalizing link pivotally connected with one rockingmember above its fulcrum and with the other of said members below its fulcrum, to cause the said rocking members to rock oppositely in unison through equal angles, and pivotallyattached draft-links between the sides of the harness-frame and the rocking members, eccentrically attached to the latter, and wholly independent of the equalizing device.

7. In loom harness mechanism, a vertically-movable harness-frame, cam-actuated means to depress it, overhead lifting means, comprising two bell-cranks mounted on fixed fulcra and each having an upturned arm and an outwardly-extended arm, links pivotally connecting the oppositely extended arms with the sides of the ham ess-frame, a spring directly connecting the upturned arms of and to rock the bell-orauks toward each other, to lift the harness-frame, and alongitudinallyrigid link connected with one of said bellcranks above, and with the other below, their respective fulcra, to cause the bell-cranks to oppositely rock in unison through equal angles.

8. In a loom-harness mechanism, a plural- I positely in unison through equal angles, and

ity of vertically movable harness frames, means to individually depress them, and an independent lifting device for each frame, such device comprising two rocking members mounted on fixed fulcra, located in the same horizontal plane, the corresponding members of the several pairs having their fulcra in alinement above the frames, a spring connecting each pair of members above their fulcra, an equalizing-link connecting and to cause each two rocking members to rock op longitudinally-rigid pivotally-attached connections between the sides of a frame and its two rocking members, eccentrically attached to'the latter outside their respective fulcra,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWVARD S. STIMPSON: Witnesses:

GEORGE OTIs DRAPER, ERNEST WARREN WVOOD: 

